Tuesday, March 21, 2017

TBPS & CBMS Take Top Honors at VT State Odyssey of the Mind Tournament

Six teams of local students in 1st through 8th grades competed last weekend at the Vermont State Odyssey of the Mind tournament.

Two Crossett Brook Middle School teams won first place in their categories and two others from the school ranked second and third. A team of Thatcher Brook Primary School first and second graders took part in the youngest category that is not ranked. A second TBPS team of fourth graders won second place in its category and also claimed the creative problem-solving competition’s highest creativity award called the Ranatra Fusca. The award comes with a large trophy that will stay at TBPS for a year. A total of 38 students from Waterbury-Duxbury participated in the Odyssey of the Mind program this year including two students who attend Bishop Marshall School in Morrisville. Teams are coached by parent volunteers. Several of the teams qualified to compete at the OM World Finals in late May this year at Michigan State University. Teams from across the U.S. and about a dozen other countries attend World Finals. Some of the local winners are considering the trip.

Odyssey of the Mind is an extra-curricular creative problem-solving competition for students from kindergarten through college. OM builds teamwork, encourages risk-taking, and rewards originality. The Crossett Brook-Thatcher Brook OM program is supported entirely through fundraising and family contributions.